Time controlled subterranean camera



June 4, 1940. w. J. OPOCENSKY 2,203,176

I TIME CONTROLLED SUBTERRANEAN CAMERA Original Filed March 23. 193? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Wm man .J. OPOGENSKX BY HTTORNEX Patented 'June '4, ram 2,203,176

TIME CONTROLLED SUBTERRANEAN CAMERA Willard J. Opocensky, Long Beach, Calii'.

Original application March 23, 1937, Serial No. 132,524. Divided and this application April 1, 1939, Serial No. 265,404

4 Claims. (Cl. 161-26) This application is a division of my (so-pending camera 4 includes a shutter 6, the details of application on Subterranean camera, filed March which will be subsequently described.

23, 1937, Serial No. 132,524, now Patent No. A battery i is mounted on the partition 3 and 2,161,380, granted June 6, 1939. extends upwardly from said partition.

5 This invention relates to a subterranean cam- A chronometer 8 is secured to a bracket 9, said 5 era, by means of which the character of the forbracket being fixedly secured on the partition 2. mation at the bottom of a drilled hole can be A pair of light bulbs ll-i2 are mounted in determined or the location and position of lost sockets i3--i4 respectively, said sockets being objects or material at the bottom of the drilled mounted on the bottom of the partition 3. It is 10 hole. to be notedthat the light bulbs i il2 are posiin An object of my invention is to provide a novel tioned above the camera 4 and particularly above means of photographing the bottom 0! a drill its lens. The reason for this arrangement behole or objects therein, and particularly to so ing that the film will not be over-exposed or position the tool relative to the object to be clouded because of an excessive amount of light. photographed that the said object or bottom or The bulbs ii-l2 are preferably of the flash the hole will be in proper focus. bulb variety. This type of bulb gives a brilliant Another object is to provide a novel means of light for the required length of time to expose the spacing the camera from the object to be photofilm and the electrical current does not have to be graphed so that the object will be in proper interrupted in order to shut oil the light bulbs. focus. The manually operated switch A is provided in 0 A further object is to provide a novel time conthe electrical circuit of the bulbs i ii 2, and this trolled means of actuating the shutter of the switch is closed manually prior to operating the camera for the purpose of taking a photograph. tool in the well. The purpose of the switch is A feature of my invention resides in the novel to prevent the electrical circuit from being acpositioning and arrangement of the light bulbs cidentally closed while the tool is being adjusted 25 so that suilicient light will be provided for the on the surface. purpose of taking a picture. The shutter 6 of the camera is of the type Other objects, advantages and features of inwhich can be so adjusted that the shutter will vention may appear from the accompanying partially open,.then hesitate for an instant and 3 80 drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and then move nto c osed position. 0 the appended claims. The outer ring l5 of the shutter, when tripped, In the drawings-- 1 will rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of my Figure 3 in e a e p s y described; subterranean camera. that is, the ring will partially rotate, then hesitate Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal secan instant, and then continue its rotation to 35 tional view of the same taken at right angles'to the 010886- position of the Shutter- Figure 1. The shutter is preferably tripped from the Figure 3 is a plan view of the camera shutter. Chronflmeter 3 through a Wire. string. or a e Figure 4 is a id el ti of th same, i6, which is attached to the arm I! and extends 40 Referring more particularly to the drawings, p y through t Partition 3 o a drum "3 40 the numeral lindicates a housing preferably -mounted on the alarm shaft of the Chronometel tubular in form and the bottom of which is open The Cable also extends through a fixed for the purpose of photographing therethrough, eye 9 80 that D1111 y be e ed o the arm a ill b Subsequently d ib l IT. The shutter is preferably of a type usual 46 A sub 2 screws into the upper end of the h usand well-known on the market, which hesitates ing l and th drill pipe b1 1 tt slightly prior to the full opening, and thereafter th r t moves to the fully opened position, and then A partition 3 i fixedly t d ithi th completely closes again. The movement of the housing I for the purpose of supporting th shutter ring l5 previously described actuates 50 ious elements of the camera, as will be described. a Swi c for t e Pu p Of lighting the bulbs 50 A camera 4 is fixedly attached to a, post 5, il-i2. One pole of the battery 'i is grounded, which post is rigidly attached to the partition 3 and a wire 20 extends from the other pole to one and depends therefrom. The camera 4 is prefterminal of the bulb i2. A wire 21 connects the erably positioned in axial alignment with the bulbs ii and i2, and a wire 22 extends from the I longitudinal center line of the housing i. The bulb ii to a switch contact 23. A finger 24 on the shutter ring I! engages the switch contact 23 as the ring I! rotates, thereby closing the electrical circuit and lighting the bulbs li l2. The film in the camera I is thus exposed and a picture will be taken of the bottom of a hole.

The chronometer 8 is set on the surface, and this chronometer is provided with the usual trip arrangement, such as an alarm, and since it is known how long it will take to lower the tool to the bottom of the hole, this alarm is set, giving ample time to lower the tool. When the bottom is reached, the chronometer 8 will operate, as previously described, to expose the film.

The arrangement of the switch on the shutter is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

In order that a sharp picture may be taken on the film in the camera, it is desirable to properly space the camera from the bottom of the hole or the object to be photographed. This distance corresponds to the focal length 01 the camera lens and the spacing is accomplished in the following manner: 5 A plurality of arms 25 are adiustably mounted on the housing I. housing and upon striking the bottom of a hole or the object therein, will prevent further descent of the camera. Each of the arms 25 is provided with pins 26, which slidably fit in longitudinal slots 21 in the wall of the housing I, that is there is one slot provided for each of the arms 25.

When the slots 21 are out, a tongue 28 is allowed to remain and this tongue springs inwardly against the heads of the pins 21, thus holding the arms 25 in their adjusted position.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the arms .25 can be raised or lowered, thus varying the distance from the lower edge of the arms to the camera, thereby providing for the necessary adjustments to correspond with the focal length of the camera.

In the device heretofore described, an apparatus is provided which will operate in a dry hole or one in which there is clear water or other fluid.

In order that an upstanding tool in the hole shall not damage the camera I I may provide a spider in the structure shown in Figure 1. The spider is mounted in the lower .end of the housing I and the material of this spider is sufliciently thin so that the picture taken below the same will not be seriously obstructed.

In'noperating the subterranean camera, the chronometer-8 is first adjusted so that suilicient time is permitted to lower the tool to the bottom of the hole before the drum I 8 on the chronometer will start to rotate. Thereafter, the tool is lowered to the bottom of the hole, and with the arms 25.spacing the camera from the bottom of-the hole a sufiicient distance so that a clear picture can, be taken by the camera 4. The device then comes to rest and shortly thereafter the drum IQ oi the chronometer will be rotated, causing a pull to be exerted on the cable l6, which in turn par- These arms project below the tlally rotates the plate I! or the shutter I. On rotation 01' the plate ID, the switch 23 is closed to light the bulbs "-42. The shutter 6 is open at the time these bulbs are lit, and the film in the camera will thus be exposed to take a picture of the bottom of the hole.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A subterranean camera comprising a housing, a camera mounted within the housing, and in axial alignment with the housing, a shutter on the camera, switch means mounted adjacent said shutter, said switch means being operable as the shutter is actuated, a chronometer, means extending from the chronometer to the shutter, whereby said shutter is actuated in time relation with the chronometer, light bulbs in the housing, a battery in the housing, said battery being electrically connected to the light bulbs, and to said switch, whereby electrical energy is transmitted to the light bulbs.

2. A subterranean camera comprising a housing, a camera centrally mounted in said housing, light bulbs mounted in the housing, a battery, said battery being electrically connected to the light bulbs, switch means operatively connected in the battery circuit, a trip means for the switch whereby the switch is closed and the light bulbs are lighted, a shutter on the camera, a chronometer, and means extending from the chronometer to the shutter whereby said shutter is actuated in time relation to the chronometer, and spacing means depending from the housing.

3. A subterranean camera comprising a housing, a camera mounted within the housing, and in axial alignment with the housing, a shutter on the camera, switch means mounted adjacent said shutter, said switch means being operable as the shutter is actuated, a chronometer, means extending from the chronometer to the shutter,

whereby said shutter is actuated in time relation with the chronometer, light bulbs in the housing, a battery in the housing, said battery being electrically connected to the light bulbs, and to said switch, whereby electrical energy is transmitted to the light bulbs, and spacing means depending from the housing.

4. A subterranean camera comprising a housing, a camera mounted within the housing and in axial alignment with the housing, a shutter on the camera, switch means mounted adjacent said shutter, said switch means being operable as the shutter is actuated, a chronometer, means extending from the chronometer to the shutter, whereby said shutter is actuated in time relation with the chronometer, light bulbs in the housing,- a battery in the housing,, said battery being electrically connected to the light bulbs, and to said switch, whereby electrical energy is transmitted to the light bulbs, spacing means depending from the housing, said spacing means being adjustably secured to said housing:

WIILtiRD J. OPOCENSKY. 

